Utah Football 2015

[accadacca]

Yeah no walk or low star recruit has ever amounted to anything...

[accadacca]

Oregon State has hired two Utah assistant coaches from last year, and well, now it appears the Beavers have taken a Ute slogan.

Oregon State director of player personnel Vincent Guinta tweeted a picture of the Beaver

[Deuce]

Yeah no walk or low star recruit has ever amounted to anything...

Was that related to my Samson comments? Lost me....

But yea, in a nutshell, if you are counting on winning/building with walk-on's...

Sure, every once in a while one works out, but having one decide to go elsewhere doesn't even make my blink.... If you can't get anything but DII offers, announcing your walk-on intentions is amusing....

[accadacca]

Kyle Whittingham breaks his silence and speaks on CBS Radio.

http://download.podcast.play.it/medi...u5_0000000ZGXj

[Iceaxe]

More from Witt...

'We're all pulling in the same direction,' Whittingham says
http://www.ksl.com/index.php?sid=33036437&nid=294

[Iceaxe]

Rock on football coaching drama: Utes signed up for this - http://www.deseretnews.com/865619334/

[rockgremlin]

Don't necessarily agree that they "signed up for this." All of this drama would still be there even if Utah was still in the Mountain West conf. The fact that the Utes joined the Pac12 doesn't amplify the enmity between Hill and Whit.

Just sounds like fodder for a slow news day

[Iceaxe]

I believe all this drama will have one big positive on next years program... I believe Wilson will return for his senior year with his old confidence and aggression and in return Utah gets a very experienced senior QB that will easily rank as one of the top three in the PAC-12. I don't believe Christensen was a loss for the Utes. More of an improvement through subtraction.

It also looks like Booker will now return for his senior season.

I'm thinking the new DC comes from within, perhaps Morgan Scalley.

And I would not be surprised to see Dennis Erickson back as the OC, provided he has interest in the job. Erickson is getting old and is really only coaching for love of the game. He already has his millions, his national championships and two coach of the year awards. If not Erickson than perhaps Roderick.

I bet at least one of the coordinaters comes from in house.

Thoughts?

[Deuce]

Booker apparently just tweeted that he's coming back, that is great news!

I don't think Erickson has any interest in being the OC. I think his "demotion" from OC was due to his not having interest in the job. I just don't see how he would have stayed on, if he felt it was some sort of slight. He's too good, has too much juice to "just suck it up." I think he's content in his current position, just likes being around and the responsibility he has. I really like having him on the staff, think he's a wealth of knowledge and helps recruiting.

I would not be surprised if both coordinators come from within, but think that Whitt is making sure that he is making the best decision to help the team win. That includes seeing who's out there, who would have interest and fit, then making the decision.

The Booker decision is BIG....

[rockgremlin]

Booker will be a huge performer in the Pac12 next season. With the confidence he has and the trust of the coaching staff he should go far. Good news for the utes.

[Deuce]

I'd like to take the opportunity to publically thank the Oregon Ducks for the 5 million dollar check to the University of Utah....

[rockgremlin]

I'd like to take the opportunity to publically thank the Oregon Ducks for the 5 million dollar check to the University of Utah....

Let's use it to fill the holes in the coordinator positions....and bring beer back to Rice-Eccles.

[accadacca]

Kyle Whittingham agrees to terms on $11M contract extension through 2018

http://www.sltrib.com/home/2068324-1...es-to-terms-on

[Deuce]

Kyle Whittingham agrees to terms on $11M contract extension through 2018

http://www.sltrib.com/home/2068324-1...es-to-terms-on

Good news for Utah fans!

[Iceaxe]

And we are returning 16 starters next year

[accadacca]

Thor Katoa, Utah Utes commit, set to visit Oregon State Beavers this weekend


Thor Katoa poses with former Utah coaches Kalani Sitake and Ilaisa Tuiaki, who are now at Oregon State. (Courtesy of Thor Katoa)

It hasn't taken long to figure out Oregon State's gameplan for the class of 2015. Defensive coordinator Kalani Sitake and linebacker coachIlaisa Tuiaki have hit the Utah recruiting class, and hit it hard, while running back coach Telly Lockette, formerly of South Florida, fills in gaps with his "Sunshine State" connections.

That trend will continue during a massive official visit lineup this weekend for the Beavers, as Utah commit and Rivals two-star inside linebacker Thor Katoa is set to make the trip to Corvallis.

"I'm excited. It should be fun," he said. "I'm definitely interested in going over there, because I was recruited by Kalani and Tuiaki out of high school from Utah. I built a pretty strong relationship with them. I haven't de-committed from Utah or anything. I'm still committed to 'The U' as of right now, but we'll see after this trip how it goes, see how Oregon State is."

Katoa admits he can see himself making the switch in the near future, but needs to build a connection with the Beavers that goes beyond his relationship with two defensive coaches.

"It's all kind of new. I don't know too much about Oregon State, the college," he explained. "All I know is the two coaches that recruited me (at Utah) will be over there and I have really good relationship with them, a strong chance of playing for them. I know what kind of defense they run and how good those coaches are."

Playing in the Pac-12 seemed like pipe dream a year ago, when Katoa was a raw defensive player with no college offers. However, he spent the summer training with a former football player at Texas A&M and emerged as a highly productive defensive standout.
As a senior, Katoa registered 139 tackles, 16.5 tackles-for-loss and four sacks.

"I spent the offseason just going at it, because going into my senior season I didn't have any offers, so I was pretty motivated to get that done," he said. "The whole offseason I was just training as hard as I could."

Katoa's focus on working out has continued this offseason. He has added 35 pounds to his frame and now stands at 6-foot-2, 255 pounds. That amount of growth has many coaches believing his college future lies in at the defensive end position.

"I've gained like 30 pounds. (Sitake) and Tuiaki, if I keep gaining weight, would stick me at D-end, stand-up defensive end," he explained. "It shouldn't be that much of a difference. My sophomore and junior year in high school I played outside linebacker."
Oregon State continues to chip away at the Utah recruiting class. It appears the Beavers have the inside track to snag another one in Katoa, as long as the visit goes well this weekend.

http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/ind...commit_se.html

[accadacca]

[rockgremlin]

^^^This is the reason it is important to ensure your entire coaching staff is well taken care of. Hell sakes, the entire coaching staff for Oregon State was poached from Utah (Gary Andersen in a roundabout fashion, but still...).

And what does Utah get? A former Utah quarterback.... Howcome we're not out there poaching good assistant coaches from good programs? I can't believe it's because nobody out there wants to join our program. It has to be something else. Someone enlighten me.

[Iceaxe]

How come we're not out there poaching good assistant coaches from good programs? I can't believe it's because nobody out there wants to join our program. It has to be something else. Someone enlighten me.

We actually do our share of poaching.... for example... when Dave Christian joined the Utes he brought Kendall Thompson with him who he had originally recruited to Wyoming.

I'm curious when Utah fills out their coaching staff this year to see what will happen. Speaking of which, when are we going to get a new OC and DC?

[rockgremlin]

Speaking of which, when are we going to get a new OC and DC?

Whit has mentioned previously that the hires for those positions would come from within. So look to the graduating class for possible candidates to fill those positions. Maybe Nate Orchard and a Brian Blechen duo?